


Steel Heart

by Ellie_O (ladyofthegreymist)



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 3, Fallout 4
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-05
Updated: 2019-04-05
Packaged: 2020-01-05 01:39:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18355964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyofthegreymist/pseuds/Ellie_O
Summary: Joey was Brotherhood born and bred. After being left for dead in The Commonwealth would she give up all she knew and remake her life?





	Steel Heart

**Author's Note:**

> A partial canon divergence and cross-over fic between my General Hazel Adams (Sole Survivor) playthrough and my Start me up inspired BoS Initiate playthrough Joey (OC), as well as mentions of my canon Fallout 3 playthrough with Connie Parker (Lone Wanderer).
> 
> Bethesda built this playground and I'm happy to play in it. I have taken liberties with some characters names, since I couldn't find mention of them anywhere. 
> 
> I'm hoping to update chapters ever week or fortnight (at the most. I have 4 kids and play too many video games lol).

 

Plumes of dust blew off the dry river bank and hurtled across the rippling water of the Potomac. Ruins of tall buildings, the skeletal remains of a bygone era, stretched into the horizon. Joey lost count of how many times she had sat in this very spot on the wall of The Citadel trying to imagine what it must have been like. Where there was now brown and grey would have been bursting with colour, some Joey could probably never imagine. Instead of Super Mutants, Raiders and Ghouls walking building lined streets, there would have been people, clean and well-fed, living their lives in safety. She took a swig from her bottle of 200 year old Nuka Cola and leaned on the rusty metal barrier. It let out a small groan in protest and threatened to hurl Joey 60 feet to the concrete below.

“Don’t give out on me today old friend.”

She tapped the bar lightly and willed the rusty metal to stay attached. Taking another swig of her Nuka she heard the sound of leather boots on steel that let her know she was no longer alone.

“Hey Floss I thought I’d find you out here.”

She figured it would be her Dad. This was her favourite thinking spot on The Citadel and had been since she was 5, after she ‘ran away’ from her Mother after being told she couldn’t join the Squires with their lessons. Her Mother left only a year or so later and her Dad, Knight Alan Brandis had raised her on his own since. That was 13 years ago now and while his face may have a few more lines and his hair a few more greys, the middle-aged man was still a capable soldier and one of Joey’s greatest heroes.

Joey turned and looked up into his bright green eyes giving him one of her face cracking smiles that she never shared with anyone else.

“You know I’ve always been predictable.”

She took a swig of her bottle and passed it to her father who took a quiet sip.

“I… needed some space. Turning 19 has a way of making one reflect and reminisce.”

Her father coughed and raised an eyebrow at her. Joey laughed.

“Sure, look who I’m talking to, so what’s going on Old Man?”

Her father lowered his voice in concern and he patted her arm,

“You miss her.”

The words were like a punch to the gut. She looked out over the rippling water pensively, fingers gripping the rail she was leaning on. _Damnit Connie, where are you?_

“Yeah.”

It was the only word she could muster without crying over the loss of her best friend and mentor. It still ate Joey up inside that not only did her mother leave without a trace, that her best friend did it too. Nowadays she avoided making friends. What was the point when all they did was leave?

“I’m sure she had her reasons.”

She did. She had lost her lover and best friend and while The Citadel was rife with rumours no one knew the true story of Sarah Lyons and Connie Parker’s relationship. That is except for Joey. Connie had confided in her and even though she was young, she had been able to be there for her friend. When Sarah had died, Connie changed. Joey knew about Connie’s mother dying in childbirth, about her best friend exiling her from Vault 101 and about her dad who had sacrificed himself for a cause he believed in. Sarah’s death was the final straw. The day after the funeral Joey woke up to find her gone. No note, no trace. No one even saw her leave. Joey had searched for signs of her in Rivet City and Megaton but there was nothing. Talking to Connie’s old friends Fawkes, Butch and Charon had also proved fruitless. Joey had waited for her to return to the Brotherhood, but each year that passed made the idea of her coming back seem less likely.

“I know.”

“It wasn’t your fault she left.”

“I know.”

“It wasn’t your fault your mother left either.”

Joey looked back at her Dad’s worry lined face and sighed.

“Come on Dad, is this your idea of a pep talk? I’m here to let you know it’s not working, I honestly thought you were better at this. Let’s face it you’ve had years to practice.”

Her father chuckled softly and put an arm around her shoulders and squeezed.

“You can’t blame yourself for everything. You didn’t do anything to push them away, they left because they felt they had to. There was nothing you could have done to stop that.”

Joey grunted. Deep down she knew that what her father said was true, but it didn’t stop the feelings of abandonment bubbling to the surface. She had been without a mother for so long and she guessed Sarah and Connie had been her replacements. They had been such a huge part of her life in the Brotherhood that without them she felt lost and utterly alone.

“So did you come up here just to hand out fatherly advice or was there something else?” Joey swiftly changed the subject. She hated talking about her feelings in front of her dad. She wanted to be strong, she wanted to show him that she was a capable warrior.

“Way to change the subject, Floss.”

Joey looked at him with a cheeky grin and shrugged her shoulders.

“So…?”

“Well yeah, there was something.” He paused. “Elder Maxson asked us to attend a meeting in an hour.”

Joey’s ears pricked.

“Us. You mean, me and you?”

“That’s exactly what I mean. Elder Maxson is putting together a Recon Squad. I’m not too sure about the rest of the details but he asked for you specifically.”

“But I’m still only an Initiate. Isn’t that a job for Knights?”

“Usually, yeah. You’ve proven yourself in the field time and time again kiddo. Whatever the Elder wants you for, it’s because he’s recognised that.”

Joey may not like Arthur personally, but she admitted he was a capable, if sometimes harsh, leader. He had done a lot to strengthen the Brotherhood and ensure victory over its enemies. Many in the Brotherhood worshipped him, but no matter how hard she tried she always saw him as her annoying little brother. Her stubborn, arrogant, annoying little brother.

Joey hooked her arm into her Dad’s and leaned her head on his shoulder with a grin.

“We’ve got time for food before we see Arthur, right?”

Alan patted her on the head and led her along the metal catwalk.

“Anything for you Floss. Let’s see what Cookie threw together for lunch.”

"Oh, I'd kill for a Salisbury Steak." Joey's stomach growled in agreement.

Her dad rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Let's hope for everyone's sake it doesn't come to that. I know what you're like when your hungry."

Joey gave Alan a soft jab in the ribs with a pointed finger.

"Ha ha, very funny. We better hurry, Arthur doesn't like to be kept waiting."


End file.
